


Melodies on the Road

by amphrites



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Car rides, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, Singing, driving in the night, porch kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-04
Updated: 2014-06-04
Packaged: 2018-02-03 09:17:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1739336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amphrites/pseuds/amphrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin had the voice of a god, and Arthur wanted to hear more of it, but he definitely wasn't going to tell Merlin that. He'd hear it some other way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melodies on the Road

**Author's Note:**

> For Melanie, hope this is what you had in mind when you sent the prompt.
> 
> These characters belong to BBC, they are not mine. 
> 
> Feel free to comment or leave kudos!

               “Hey, Arthur, turn that up will you?” Merlin pointed at the radio. Some indistinguishable song was playing, and Arthur could barely hear any of it over the roar of the road coming from the open window. Arthur looked over and saw Merlin sticking his hand out into the whipping air, moving his fingers in the wind. Smiling, Arthur cranked up the volume and he recognized the song as “All of Me” by John Legend. Merlin hummed appreciatively and starting rumbling out a few notes with the song.

               “’Cause I give you all of me!” Merlin sang along, throwing his head back and belting the notes. He looked over at Arthur and smiled a crooked grin that sent Arthur’s heart into overdrive. Arthur quickly looked at the road in front of him and tried to concentrate on not crashing the car, but all he could think about was how Merlin’s voice dipped through the notes and dripped with a talent Arthur hadn’t known of before. Arthur kept his ears strained the entire car ride, listening to Merlin sing along to a few more radio songs. When Merlin started adding harmonies, Arthur knew he was screwed.

               “Arthur, when we do you think we’ll leave? I love Cendred as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to spend my entire night at his house. It’s like a frat house. He’s a grown man! And his girlfriend, Morgause, she is _wild_ , she scares me,” Merlin yelled, and he reached over to lower the volume on the radio. He quickly closed the window and Arthur was stunned by the quiet that filled the car. Merlin had shifted in his seat, and was looking at Arthur now, waiting for an answer.

               “Oh um, we can leave whenever. Cendred can’t make us stay very long. Just tell me when you want to leave, and we’ll head home. If we come home early, we might even get to pop in a movie or catch some sit-coms on the telly,” Arthur mused, and Merlin laughed.

               “That sounds like so much more fun than going to that arse Cendred’s house,” Merlin grumbled and turned the music back up. He sang the entire rest of the way to Cendred’s house, and Arthur had almost crashed the car twice. He was sweating slightly from concentrating so hard. His knuckles hurt from clutching the steering wheel so hard. Arthur hopped out of the car and ran around to Merlin’s side, opening the door for him with a flourish of his arm.

               “Why thank you,” Merlin sniffed, and took Arthur’s outstretched arm. They walked up the driveway to the very large mansion owned by Cendred, and at the front door they stopped. Arthur took Merlin’s hand and stared at him.

               “What? Why are you staring at me, you dollop-head?” Merlin laughed, shaking his head slightly. Arthur thought back to those moments in the car when the singer had gone too low for Merlin and all he could sing was a low rumble, deep in his chest. Arthur remembered the times when Merlin added a harmony, perfectly accompanying the singer. Arthur felt warm inside, and he smiled. Leaning down, he pressed his lips hard against Merlin’s, kissing the man until both of them were breathless. When they finally pulled away, Merlin’s eyes twinkled.

               “We are definitely leaving this party early,” Merlin declared, his voice slightly scratchy and very sexy. Arthur’s stomach lurched, and he breathed deeply, eyes widening. Merlin reached forward and rang the doorbell, and Arthur could smell Merlin’s cologne. _This was going to be a long night_ , Arthur realized.

# ♬♬♬♬♬♬

Arthur watched Merlin over a red plastic cup of beer. He was talking to Freya, one of his friends from college. Arthur couldn’t help but notice how good Merlin looked in denim jeans and a plain t-shirt, and Arthur sipped his warm beer. Merlin’s singing filtered into his mind again, and Arthur wondered when Merlin had gotten such talent. Arthur loved Merlin’s voice, but he certainly wasn’t going to tell him that. Arthur scoffed, telling that to Merlin would make his head immensely larger. But then at least it would match his ears.

               After another hour or so, Arthur was tired and he’d only had one beer, which had long since gone through his system. Arthur was ready to go home. Walking towards Merlin, Arthur nodded at Cendred once before turning back to his partner.

               “Merlin, you ready to go?” Arthur interrupted Merlin, who was talking to Lance and his girlfriend, Gwen.

               “Yeah, sure Arthur, I’m pretty tired,” Merlin yawned and then turned back to Lance and Gwen. “It was nice seeing you both, we’ll have to catch up more, maybe double date!”

               Arthur laughed at the prospect of a double date, but it looked like Merlin had had a few beers, so Arthur let it slide. Tipsy Merlin meant clumsy Merlin, and Arthur wrapped his arm around Merlin’s waist, supporting him to the door.

               “G’night everybody!” Merlin yelled over his shoulder, and was met by a few “good night’s” back.

               “Alright, party animal, let’s get you back home. I guess this means no late night movie, huh?” Arthur laughed, guiding Merlin into the car. Merlin shook his head profusely at Arthur.

               “No I want to watch a movie! I’m not tired, I swear!” Merlin insisted, and Arthur smiled as he climbed into the driver’s seat. Arthur started the car and pulled out of the driveway with Merlin chattering along about the party.

               “It really wasn’t all that bad, I mean the entire atmosphere had me feeling like I was about to get trampled by college recruits and ignored by the ladies, but it was nice. The people were halfway decent,” Merlin commented, and Arthur chuckled.

               “Let’s put on some music!” Merlin suggested after a few minutes of the quiet hum of the engine. Merlin pulled out a cd from the compartment and stuck it in, fiddling with the controls before sitting back. Josh Garrel’s “Train Song” started playing over the speakers, and Merlin visibly relaxed. Arthur looked over to see Merlin’s eyes closed, and he wondered if the man had fallen asleep when Merlin started to sing along.

               _“Shame on you, oh shame on me_ ,” this Merlin was different. This Merlin was slightly drunk, and very tired, and Arthur found Merlin’s voice very sexy, dipping low and rumbling deep inside his chest. Arthur relaxed into the leather seats, driving lazily along in the dark. The ride home from Cendred’s house would only last a few minutes, and the song lasted at least five. Arthur looked at Merlin to make sure his eyes were still closed before taking the wrong turn.

               _“He said, ‘sing it on the mountain, or in the valley low. He’s my god, and he never let me go,”_ Merlin sang, and Arthur’s heart rhythm sped up as Merlin matched the trills. Arthur weaved through the back road, taking as many wrong turns as he could without getting lost.

               _“And when the world comes down around, I’ll follow him,”_ Merlin crooned. Arthur never wanted the car ride to end. It had already lasted about four minutes than it should have, the song coming to a close. Merlin frowned and opened his eyes and looked out the window.

               “Where are we?” Merlin asked, confused. Arthur panicked and sped up a little.

               “Oh I just thought we’d take the back way. Such a nice night, you know,” Arthur lied, looking straight ahead. He felt Merlin scrutinizing him.

               “You prat, why aren’t we home yet?” Merlin complained, and Arthur smiled despite himself.

               “What? Why are you smiling? Why is it suddenly taking so long to get home?” Merlin demanded, and Arthur just smiled to himself. Merlin flounced back onto the seat and crossed his arms, looking out the window. Arthur drove the rest of the way home normally, smiling to himself.

               Once they were back at the house Merlin and Arthur had bought together, pooling their savings, Arthur pulled the door open for Merlin again, who miffed and walked to the front door, key in hand. Arthur saw him fumbling with the keys, and he grinned. Slinking up behind Merlin, Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist.

               “No no, you don’t get to do that. We got home much later because of you,” Merlin shook his head, and Arthur buried his nose into the crook of Merlin’s neck.

               “Oh come on, don’t be mad at me,” Arthur begged, but Merlin stayed cold towards him, and Arthur sighed. “Fine, we’re late because I wanted to hear you sing more, okay? Happy now?” Merlin turned around to face Arthur, his arms still around his waist.

               “You just wanted to hear me sing?” Merlin whispered as he wrapped his arms around Arthur’s neck. Arthur smiled and nodded, leaning down to press a kiss to Merlin’s lips, much softer than the one in front of Cendred’s house.

               “Yeah, I like your voice,” Arthur confessed in between kisses. Merlin smiled against his lips, and bit Arthur’s bottom lip affectionately.

               “Why don’t I give you a free concert inside, no tickets needed?” Merlin raised an eyebrow and Arthur laughed. He leaned down and kissed Merlin again, pushing them through their open front door and closing it behind them.

              

 


End file.
